WestFold: Life after Hogwarts
by CiaoBellaMuerte
Summary: Rewritten! God, I want Harry to Love me... but I don't have the guts to tell him that, never have. I know that he has SOME feelings for me. So how long can we carry on this game? 'Cause I can't take it much more.HarryXOC
1. The Bet

Amazingly enough, life hasn't really changed since Hogwarts. WestFold is just the same only for older wizards. The Houses were still the same, the Quidditch team for my house, Gryffindor, was still the same people with constantly improving skills. I'm still friends with 'the Golden trio', Harry and I still flirt with each other so much it makes our friends sick (although neither of us has the guts to do anything about it….. -.-) and Faine was still in love with her best friend Draco.

Well, I guess some things have changed. Ron is in advanced classes for Charms, the one class he was really good at, I think he wants to be the next charms professor at Hogwarts. Hermione is taking classes to become a healer. Faine is learning to become the new potions master. Draco is becoming a professional quidditch player, although a beater not a seeker. And Harry and I are in Auror training. Honestly, it sounded interesting and I get to have classes with Harry, so…… that's what I'm doing. Anyways, Harry and Ron room together down the hall from me and Lavender "sleep-with-as-many-guys-as-she-can-in-one-night" Brown on the second floor. Hermione and Parvarti (who are both in the healers program) are on the first floor. And there was this HILIAROUS mix up when we first started at Westfold where Faine and Draco ended up in the same dorm room. I've never seen a more awkward pair: she's in love with him, but he doesn't know how to deal with the fact that he loves her to (he may not have said it, but I know he does, I can tell.) This of course leaves the two of them bicker and fight more then 'Mione and Ron EVER did. But onward and upward I guess.

I woke up with a start as the door to my dorm room slammed into the wall with a thud. _Oh dear God, your joking me, right?!?_ I thought as I sat up brushing my shoulder length Auburn and black hair from my light blue eyes. Sadly God wasn't joking it was Lavender with some new guy attached to her face.

"Do you mind? GOD Brown it's almost 2 am. I have cla-" she wasn't paying attention, I noted quickly as she throw her shirt and bra across the room. _Alright then…_ I grabbed my favorite pillow and stormed down the hall toward Harry's room. I knocked tiredly and a sleepy looking Harry throw the door open with a glare. But the look turned quickly to a look of half asleep understanding and he threw in that lopsided smile that sent the butterflies in my stomach into a frenzy.

"Again?" He asked. And I nodded, holding on to my pillow for dear life, shivering as the chill of the hall reached my bare arms and legs. Harry looked un-approvingly at my PJ shorts and tank top. "You know, Charlie, you should wear something warmer to bed."

"Yeah, well it was warm in my room." I laughed and Harry wrapped an arm around my shoulders.

"Come on. You can stay warm in here." He smiled sweetly and led me inside. I could see Ron trying to cover his face with his pillow as I walked past him to the small couch where I always slept when Lavender was …Well, for lack of a better phrase, being a whore. Throwing my pillow down I curled up on the soft cushions of the couch. Just as I started to fall asleep Harry throw his heavy comforter over me, patting me on the head.

"G'night Charlie." he said.  
"G'night Harry" and seconds later I was asleep.

I felt someone rubbing my arm softly, trying to wake me gently from sleep. I opened one eye to see Harry sitting on the couch next to me.

"If you don't get up now, you're gonna be late for academy." Closing my eyes again, I let my mind wander to the soft touch of Harry's hand on my arm. With the slow waking of my mind I noticed the sounds of water running in the bathroom and knew Ron was taking a shower. When I opened my eyes I could tell by Harry's wet hair that he had already showered and was almost ready to go to class, half of his standard Auror Academy uniform already on and his over-shirt and robe tossed haphazardly on his bed.

"What time is it?" I mumbled sitting up and running my hands through my hair.

"9 o'clock." _We start class in an hour_. I thought groggily. What can I say, I'm not a morning person.

"Oh god, I got to get ready!" I shot up off the couch and headed out the door with a wave. _If I'm lucky I can make it in the shower before Brown and her new boy even get up_. Sadly I wasn't that lucky. I could hear them going at it AGAIN before I even entered the room. So I averted my eyes and grabbed my overnight bag. Which was packed and ready for such occasions and headed back to Harry's room.

I had hardly knocked on the door at all when Ron opened it. He immediately started to laugh and stepped aside to let me in the room. Harry was sitting on his bed reading a book and looked up when I came in the room.

"Still?" Ron asked laughing as if this was the highlight of his day.

"Hopefully, the word you are looking for is 'again' " I said with a smirk, slipping into the bathroom to take a shower. When I was done I jumped out and got dressed loose fitting black slacks and a white dress blouse and lastly our standard black academy robes. Then I magically dried and straightened my hair, put on some foundation and black eyeliner, and walked out of the bathroom.

"That only took you a forever! Ron and 'Mione left 15 minutes ago." Harry said lazily from his bed.

"Oh shut up Potter, let's go. Faine and Draco will probably be waiting for us." I laughed, grabbing Harry's hand and dragging him off his bed and out of the room.

We walked out of the dorm and toward the court yard in-between the Gryffindor and Slytherin dorms where Faine and Draco were sitting on a bench drinking coffee. Faine said something inaudible to me to Draco with a stern look on her face, he rolled his eyes and was about to respond, but thankfully he looked up and noticed us walking towards them.

"Took your time did you?" Draco sneered jokingly.

Now, let me explain something. When war started at Hogwarts, that night in our seventh year, we were all there. I was hiding out with Neville, Seamus, and the others for fighting the new regime while The golden trio had been out searching for God knows what Dumbledore sent them after. Faine had tried to keep herself neutral, torn between her house and Draco and me, her friend and step sister until the actual battle. When the war started we were all among those that stayed to fight. Everything was a blur of motion till Voldemort withdrew for an hour. It was then that the world stopped turning and the pain of loosing so many close friends and family was oppressive. And when we all believed Harry was killed it gave us a reason to fight. He had given his life for us, we should repay the debt. But Harry revealed himself to once again be "The Boy Who Lived." Nothing was more powerful then seeing him alive again, nothing will ever give a greater sense of elation as seeing him defeat the leader of a reign of terror like what we had seen. And after that night, though parties were being thrown in honor of the win, in honor of those who fought, and in honor of Harry Potter we did not attend any of them. There was grieving to be done, funerals to prepare, orphaned children and grieving parents who need to be taken care of. It took us all quite sometime to recover from the losses.

Draco came to Fred's Funeral. It caused an intense disturbance that no one could ignore. But when the service was over and Harry confronted Draco, and Draco admitted remorse. He had been so deluded by the power that was waved in front of his face, it had taken Harry, Ron, and Hermione saving his life twice that night to make Draco realize that he had been fight the wrong side. WHOA, went emo on you for a second there… sorry folks, anyways. Continuing.

Harry rolled his eyes at Draco as Faine bounced up next to me and we walked to class.

"Heard you stayed with Harry again last night." she said with a wink. "I thought I told you, no more wild nights before class!"

"Oh yeah Fai , that was one wild night, me sleeping on the couch." I laughed. Faine leaned around me as we walked to talk with Harry.

"You don't even give her your bed? Gah, Harry that's mean!" Faine accused.

"If I gave her my bed every time she came over, I'd never get to sleep in it." Harry laughed with Faine and Draco, but I didn't. _Is that really how he feels…_I thought staring at the ground. _Does it annoy him that I'm always there?_ I sighed lightly as we turned a corner leaving Faine and Draco to bicker about if Harry is rude or not, all the way to there classes. Harry looked over at me and must have noticed that I was upset.

"Charlie, what's up?" Harry asked.

"Nothings up. Just tired, a little stressed about finals coming up. If we don't pass these we have to stay here another year." I said trying to hide my real problems.

Harry ruffled my hair a little in a comforting gesture as we entered the academy building.

"Today, we will be running the obstacle course." I almost squealed with excitement, all previous problems temporarily forgotten. The obstacle course was a the best part of physical training. We group into pairs (Yes, I'm always with Harry, we make a good team… Shut up.) and run the obstacle course (which is a lot like a muggle obstacle course with out the monkey bars.) and the rest of the academy will try to attack you. Now, obviously, it wasn't fair that Harry and I had our fair share of personal experience with this. But that's not our fault is it?

"We'll have Vaughn and Potter run it first, everyone else get into ambush positions." Our field instructor said and Harry and I set ourselves up at the start. Harry looked at me with warm encouragement in his eyes which I returned full force. All the lights went out in the room.

"Ready?" Harry whispered, pulling out his wand. "Lumos." we said in unison, the tips of our wands lighting the space around us.

"Of course." I whispered back. We took off at a quiet run, padding quickly thought a fake village, warding of classmates as we went. A long wall blocked off a section of the room. Harry gave me a lift over and I crotched waiting for him and guarding my side while he jumped over. The harder part of the course lay ahead: a forest setup with people set up in to ambush us in several spots. With little problems we fought our way through, even avoided several of the groups because we could hear them long before we got to them. The instructors waited at the end with powerful curses, but with a bit of work we fought our way through. The lights flicked and I could see Harry double over panting, hands on his knees, as I dropped to the ground laying back to always my body to relax and draw in oxygen.

"Well done! Both of you!" The instructors called "Now, Tomas and McKinley. Your turn.!" Harry and I stood, taking places on either side of the wall in order to catch others off guard.

Two hours later we were off towards our dorm so that we could clean up and rest. Faine and Draco wouldn't be out for an hour or so. So after I showered and re-styled my hair I put on some powder and bright blue eye shadow before I threw on a pair of jeans and black flats with a white muscle tank and a black vest and headed to Harry's room and sat down on Ron's bed. I picked up the book on Ron's dresser and began absentmindedly flipping through it while Harry flipping through his old homework for stuff that might show up on the finals. Mind you, I wasn't really reading I was thinking. _Maybe I should stop coming to Harry's, I could go to 'Mione's room, or Faine's. Mind you, I would have to walk further in the middle of the night, but maybe it would be nice for Harry to not have to wake up and open the door for me._ I sighed deeply.

"Charlie, what's wrong?" Harry looked up from his papers suddenly.

"Nothing's wrong." I said quickly, must have been to quickly cause he stood up and quickly came and sat down on Ron's bed where I was laying.

"Don't lie to me Charlie!" Harry snapped "I can tell something's wrong, I've known you for too long for that." I sighed quickly and started to prepare myself to spill.

"Harry-does-it-bother-you-that-I'm-always-here-in-your-room?" I said quickly without looking at him. "'Cause, I mean, if it bothers you I can start going to Faine's room or 'Mione's -" But Harry stopped me, cupping my chin in his hands and making me look at him.

"What would make you think that I don't want you here?" He asked quietly with a weak smile.

"Well, you and Faine were talking about me being in here all the time and…… what are you laughing at?" I said as he shook his head with laughter. Then he leaned closer to me, till his face was less then inches from me.

"I wouldn't want you to go anywhere else…. "he whispered. _Oh god, PLEASE kiss me! PLEASE!_ I thought pleadingly _I've had a crush on you for 6 years and we have never kissed…. PLEAS-_ but my thoughts were cut off as Faine opened the door, Harry jumping back 3 feet from me as Faine and Draco entered the room.

"I swear…. If my potions master were anymore conceded he'd be Lockhart! Um….. Are we interrupting anything?" Faine said with a smirk to revel Draco's.

"Of course not, I'll be back later, I have homework to do." I said Launching myself of the bed and out the door towards my room before anyone said anything else.

_Oh my god, oh my god, oh my god_ I thought frantically as I cleaned my room in an obsessive manner. _What was I thinking, why didn't I just kiss him?_ I threw my pillow on my bed.

"ARGH! I'm SUCH and IDIOT!" I yelled to the wall.

"Your right, you are." For a split second I honestly thought that the wall had answered me, but I spun to see Faine standing in the doorway. "Honestly Charlie…" she sighed shaking her head "What did you leave for?"

"Because I was… embarrassed, or nervous, or -" _GOD I wish Harry had come to talk to me…. But at least SOMEONE cares enough to come see if I was alright_

"Because you're a moron." Faine supplied.

"Yea, that to." I finished, throwing myself down on my bed with a pitiful groan. Faine laughed a little and started to sit on Lavender's bed, but looked at it, thought better of it, and sat on the couch.

"How long have you liked him?" she asked calmly.

"Since we were all in our 3rd year, you know that."

"So, almost 6 years." I nodded

"It's time you did something about it." She stated as if that was the most obvious solution in the world.

"Yeah okay Fai." I said with mock enthusiasm "I'll be brave enough to do something about it when you and Draco stop arguing about everything." I muttered.  
"Harry is starting to make a move… you need to as well." Faine sneered.

"You know what, you're kinda a hypocrite Fai. You have NEVER told Draco how you feel, so why should I take your advice?" Faine glared for a moment before her eyes lit up and she was hit with an idea.

"Okay, here's what we'll do. By the end of this year we both have to have started some sort of semi-stable relationship with Malfoy and Potter, respectively." She smiled as the plan further unfolded in her mind.

"And if we don't?" I asked slightly scared of the look in her eyes.

"We-" She paused thoughtfully before shrugging. "We'll work that out later… it will probably be something like 'we never get to tell them.' or something…"

"Fai, I really don't think that's a very good idea……. Maybe we should just settle for owing each other lunch or something…" I was too unsure of myself to bet away a chance to be with Harry.

"Alright, that sounds like a better choice. But you gonna owe me an EXPENSIVE lunch, Biatch." she smirked seriously, and I laughed.

"Oh really? You think so?" she nodded in response.

"Let's get everyone together and go down to Diagon alley, we can eat at the Leaky Cauldron and then visit George. Plus I need to pick up some stuff at the apothecary." Faine said and we headed toward Harry's room.

"Are we all ready to eat?" 'Mione asked impatiently as we attempted to order dinner. First everyone had to change, which took about an hour, then apparate to the Leaky Cauldron. And once we were finally all seated no one could decide what they wanted. We murmured 'Yeah' and laughing, gave the young, blonde waitress our order.

"I'll be back with your order." The waitress said winking at Draco who flashed her a sexy smile.

"Right you will, love." He said flirtatiously. _Oh Draco, if Fai saw that- never mind_

"What is it with you and blondes?" Faine asked, I could see the slight look of hurt and jealousy on you face at the fact that Draco was flirting with some bimbo once again. Ron plugged his ears, Hermione dropped her head into her arms on the table, and Harry excused himself to the bathroom as we waited for the explosion, but Draco had an odd look on his face that kept my attention. _Is that guilt? NO, Draco Malfoy almost never feels guilt. Seriously!_

"Does it bother you?" He asked softly, leaning across the table and getting as close as possible to Faine. Now not only was I paying attention to what was going on at the table, but so were Ron and Hermione. "would you prefer that I go after girls with black hair?" He said, tucking a few strands of Faine's elbow length ebony hair behind her ear. Faine blushed at the gentleness of his touch. "Girls like you?" He stared into her eyes. _Got to hand it to Draco, he's definitely a romantic to the core when he wants to be._ Hermione stifled a giggle at the adorableness of the situation, but a tray fell somewhere in the kitchen and with the flood of noise that came with the tray came Malfoy's arrogance. He sat down quickly and laughed. "You know you want me." He said staring at the table. Faine was more hurt then before, but she controlled it quickly as Harry came and sat back down at the table.

"Prat" Ron mumbled and Harry looked questioningly at everyone who was sitting in silence.

"What'd I miss?" Harry asked me confused as Ron wrapped his arm around 'Mione's waist and whispered something (presumable about Draco) to her. (Oh, by the way, Ron and Hermione have been in a stable relationship for almost two years, Ever since they kissed in the Room of Requirements before the battle. Although they are very "anti-PDA" for the most part.)

"Nothing," I told Harry as our food arrived. But there was something in Draco's eyes that told me that pulling away and making a joke was NOT what he wanted to do.

The rest of dinner was enjoyable, quiet, but enjoyable. And when it was over, we paid and headed towards the apothecary. Faine walked into the shop by herself and I immediately walked over to Draco, grabbing him by the arm and dragging him away from the store.

"What the HELL did you do that for?" I asked, smacking him in the back of the head as soon as we were out of ear shot.

"OW!" He snapped rubbing his head. "What? I was only messing around." "Malfoy, I saw that look… why do you two do that to each other?" I sighed in exasperation and Draco looked at me in mock confusion. "You fancy her, just admit it."

"I do not." He said unconvincingly. I sighed and walked away back toward Harry, who was standing alone by the quidditch shop, but turned at the last minute.

"Draco, grow some balls."

"Welcome to Weasley's Wizarding Wheezes, how are you today?" Came the sound of Georges voices over the dull drone of voices.

"George, Lee! How are you?" I called running to the counter, Faine and the rest following quickly.

"Ah, look Lee, the whole gang came to see us." George smiled as they came out from behind the counter to hug us all.  
After awhile most of the group had started looking around the shop and only Harry and I were left talking with the George while Lee ran the register.

"So, Percy came by the other day, He feels really guilty about deserting the family, I've been trying to figure out how long he's going to feel that he has to keep making it up." George said.

"I would think that finding away to make you a new ear would have been a pretty good payment." I smiled, steeling a glance at the magic ear that Percy had created for George to replace the one that he had lost in the battle with the Death Eaters.

"I always liked you! Harry are you gonna claim her anytime soon, cause if not I will." George laughed hugging me. Harry looked at the floor. _Oh thanks Harry._

"You can't claim her, she's mine." Faine said walking over and leaning on the counter next to me.

"I don't think so." George laughed and swooped down, picking Faine up and throwing her over his shoulder and running towards the back door.

"Oh no you don't!" Draco laughed running over and taking a kicking Faine from George.

"Well, fine, I'll take this one." George laughed snatching Hermione from Ron's side.

"George PUT ME DOWN! Ron, Ron help!" Hermione squealed and I laughed as the scene played out. Draco still hadn't put down Faine so she was flailing and squealing. George was running away with 'Mione and Lee had trapped Ron in a portable swamp from which Harry was (unsuccessfully) trying to free Ron from. Draco smirked and I could practically see the light bulb appear above his head as he attempted to drop Faine in the swamp, but Faine wouldn't let Draco go and they both fell into the muddy mess, Draco landing on top of Faine.

"DRACO!" she screamed, but laughed at the spots of mud that had splattered Draco's face. I was laughing so hard I couldn't breath and Harry, who was covered in mud, turned around to see me safe and sound on the counter I had been sitting on.

"How did you mange to get away?" He asked walking towards me with a mischievous look in his eye.

"Harry, NO!" I squealed squirming off the backside of the counter and trying to get away but he grabbed me by the arm and tried to drag me into the swamp. I fought back as much as possible, but he out weighed me. Finally, when I was almost knee-deep in the muck, Harry lost his balance and fell pulling me down on top of him. Everyone was laughing, and Lee had to close the shop for fear of a customer falling in to the swamp.

It took almost an hour to clean up the store and all of ourselves, but after that we said good-bye and apparated home as it was late and we had lecture at 8 o'clock in the morning.

We parted with Draco and Faine (who were bickering about class) outside our dorm and Ron and 'Mione in the student lounge (they wanted to spend some time together) and I walked upstairs with Harry. When we got to his door I hugged him and turned toward my room but Harry caught my wrist.

"Why don't you just stay here tonight. Ron's not coming back tonight, so you can stay in his bed, and you'll be back in a few hours anyways." he smiled sweetly.

"Hold on, I'll go grab my pj's and be back." I smiled and hurried down the hall to my room, I grabbed my grey nightdress with black polka dots, throwing it on before heading back to Harry's room.

When I came back he was already changed and laying in bed. I curled up in Ron's bed and Harry turned off the light. …

The next few weeks went by quickly. Classes took up most of my time and when Harry and Ron had quidditch and 'Mione was studying I was with Faine and Draco. Who, amazingly were bickering far less and flirting FAR more. So it had started to look like Faine would win the bet, but the semester still had a few weeks later and my patience with the situation with Harry (and my own lack of bravery) were running thin.


	2. I Need a Holiday

Figure I should add a disclaimer... So I own Faine, Charlie, and Westfold...

Everything else is belongs to J.K. Rowling

"Dear god, Brown… it's barely 5 o'clock in the evening!" you shouted storming from your room and the sounds of Lavender and her new guy. _Hmmm… maybe Harry would want to go get something to eat_. I tossed the idea around as I loitered in the hall before heading to Harry's room and knock softly on the door.

"Who is it?" Harry called through the door.

"Who do you think it is, Harry?" I laughed. He opened the door, _What's he all dressed up for._ He was wearing a nice pair of dress slacks with a Black tee shirt under a grey dress jacket. It looked like he had even tried to tame his hair a bit, even though we all knew that was pointless. "What are you all dressed up for? Got a date?" I laughed jokingly, but Harry blushed.

"Um… I saw Cho today, we're gonna go get some dinner."

"Oh, well have a good time!" I smiled and walked downstairs and out of the building before he could try and ask why I had knocked on his door. _Well, Damn._ I sighed and walked into the Slytherin dorm. _Better go tell Fai; With Cho back in the picture I don't stand a chance. _I knocked on Faines door but after several minutes there was still no answer. "Fai?" I asked opening the door. "You there?" Oh yeah, she was there. Lying on Draco's bed were both Draco and Faine (both fully clothed, get your mind out of the gutter!) Draco was lying on his back, his arm under Faines head, her arm draped across his waist. _Well, bets up! After a little over a month Fai and Draco are as close as a couple as I can expect and I was knocked out of the running before I even admit that I was trying. Good thing I didn't bet anything to serious._ I closed the door and proceeded to knock again, much louder then before.

"Come in." Dracos sleepy voice croaked through the door. I opened the door as Faine sat up stretching and yawning.

"Hey Charlie, what's up?" She asked as she stood up and brushed out her hair.

"Can we go talk somewhere?" I asked my voice betraying me and blatantly showing the sadness I was hiding behind my smile. Draco looked from me to Faine with worry.

"Would you two like me to leave?" Draco asked sympathetically.

"No that's okay; I owe Fai a meal anyways." I smiled weakly.

"Alright, Draco, we'll be at the Leaky Cauldron if you need us." Faine said as she gave him a quick kiss on the cheek and we both headed out the door.

"So what's up with you? Harry didn't turn you down did he?! I'll kick his ass!." Faine said glancing at me over her menu.

"He might as well have." Faine looked at me suspiciously, so I explained "I went over to ask him to go to dinner, but Chang's back and the two of them were going to dinner." I paused, all the while trying to use my menu to ignore the look on Faines face. "You won." Faine made a snorting noise in response.

"I never will understand why he likes that Chang girl." Faine said spitting Chos name out with disgust.

When dinner was over we apparated back to Westfold, and tiredly I made a decision.

"Fai will you come with me to see how Harry's date went?" I asked

"Why would you want to do that?" She questioned, shock saturating her tone.

"Because he's still my friend and I have to be supportive, even if I want to stab Cho with a kitchen knife." But even as I said this and Faine and I walked to Harry's room half my mind was screaming._ NO YOU DON'T HAVE TO BE SUPPORTIVE, BE THE BITCH YOU WANT TO BE!_ but still I walked right up to the door, knocking softer then I had meant to.  
"Harry you in there?" Faine asked opening the door. Then with a look of shock and disgust she tried to close the door, but I pushed it open and immediately regretted it. There, on the couch that I sleep on, was Harry and Cho, snogging like there was no tomorrow. Faine closed the door and tears began to sting my eyes. "Come on Charlie," she said quietly leading me away, "you can come stay with me and Draco."

"Hey Fai, Charlie didn't go over to Harrys did she? Him and Cho are going at it like it's the-" But Draco stopped as I entered the room behind Faine, tears streaming down my face. Faine led me to her bed and made me lay down. It took an hour for me to cry myself to sleep listening to her and Draco whisper about what happened.

A few weeks later, Harry and Cho were now permanently attached at the hip (much to my disgust.) I hadn't let myself cry about it since that first night, but instead became increasingly cold toward the whole situation. So early one Friday afternoon all seven of us were sitting in the Gryffindor student lounge. Ron was reading the daily prophet over 'Mione's shoulder, Faine was helping Draco with his Potions homework, I was sitting in a recliner TRYING to get my homework done, but Harry and Cho sucking each others faces off on the couch across from me was RATHER distracting. _Get a room._ I thought in silent anger. Finally, I couldn't take it anymore.

"I need a holiday! I think I'm going to go Hogwarts for the weekend." I said emotionlessly standing and gathering my school bag. "Accio Overnight bag." I grabbed my bag as it zoomed through the air, shoved my wand in my back jeans pocked, and apparated to Hogsmeade with a loud pop without sparring a glance to see if anyone had noticed.

I sighed taking a deep breath of fresh air. _God, I missed this place._ I said as I walked briskly up to the castle. I smiled as I entered the school, and headed straight for McGonagall's office to get permission to stay for a few days. After giving the password to the gargoyle I climbed the stairs to the headmasters office. I could hear her stern voice through the door and laughed a little to see a couple of students being lectured. When I entered to office she glanced up sharply, only to smile warmly. 

"Detention. Both of you. With Hagrid, meet him at the entrance hall at 10 this evening." Both students left the hall with a bit of a shuffle, looking up only to glance at me before scurrying from the hall.

"Hello Professor McGonagall! How are you." I threw myself unceremoniously into one of the chairs facing her desk. "How's being headmaster treating you?"

"Fine I suppose." She glanced sorrowfully at the large picture of Dumbledore behind her desk before turning back to me. "To what can I attribute this wonderful visit to?"

"I'm in **great** need of a bit of a vacation!" I sighed in exasperation. "I was hoping you'd let me stay here for the weekend."

"Just you?" She asked with a curious tone that didn't cover that fact that I'm sure she knew why I was there.

"Yes, professor. Just me." I smiled falsely

"Alright, as long as you stop calling me 'Professor.'" she laughed "I'm not your teacher anymore Charlie. You can stay here for the weekend. I don't see that causing too much of a disturbance." Again she smiled widely. "You can make the room of requirement fit all you needs, correct." I nodded and stood to leave.

"Thank you very much, Minerva." I giggled a bit a how odd it felt to call her by her first name. She stood and gave me a warm, comforting hug.

"It's very good to see you again, Charlie." When she pulled away she went to her desk before turning back to me.

"Oh, some friends of yours are here as well. Oliver Wood has been teaching Flying since Madam Hooch retired, and Neville Longbottom should be down in the greenhouses, seeing as he's been working as a TA for Professor Sprout. I'm positive that they'd be happy to see you as well. Enjoy your weekend." I smiled from ear to ear and hurried toward the room of requirements to set up my room. _God it's good to back_.

Later that evening I had managed to convince Oliver, Neville, and Hagrid to come have a drink with me at the Three Broomsticks. It was nice to have a break and catch up.

"So, Charlie," Hagrid said after a few drinks, "Where are 'arry and the others?"

"At Westfold, I suppose. Enjoying …each others… company." I tried to dance around the subject. Maybe it was the fire whiskey, but I really wanted to tell them.

"Each others?" Oliver asked casually with a mischievous smile.

"What you a third wheel now?" Neville added

"Try seventh." I spat angrily

"Ron and Hermione, Faine and Draco, and Harry and-" Neville counted off on his fingers.

"Cho." I spat angrily.

"'Arrys dating Cho Chang again." Hagrid bellowed loudly.

"Sssh! Hagrid, everyone in the pub now knows what we were talking about." I sighed, patting the half giant on the arm and waving the bartender down to get another drink.

"Listen I don't really want to talk about it. I'm sorry I even started to. Let's just say, I needed a bit of a break from feeling like I don't exist." _To someone that I pretty much existed for. _I added in my head. Oliver patted my hand sympathetically and Neville shook his head. After a few minutes, the conversation picked back up to something more entertaining and it wasn't until early in the morning that the 4 of us wandered back to Hogwarts.

"G'night you guys." I called as we all went our separate ways and I stumbled into the room of requirements. The bed I had asked for was large and soft, covered in black down blankets. I crawled into it and fell fast asleep. Reeling into alcohol induced dreams of Cho murdering me to get to Harry.

I didn't get up till later in the morning, missing breakfast all together. When I finally did get up and showered, I tossed on a pair of black skinny jeans and a red and white stripped t-shirt and headed out for a tour of the school. It took most of the day, but it was wonderful to see the halls and classrooms that had made up my life for so long.

Only after lunch did I decided to make my way to the Gryffindor common room and hope that some kid would let me in so I could look around. Humming to myself I climbed some of the stairs and headed for one of the main hallways on the third floor. "…million other girls who do it just like you, looking as innocent as possible to get to who…" I stopped singing to myself as I noticed the hallway was covered in portraits as far as the eye could see. " Oh god…" I teared up at just the realization of where I was.

On the one year anniversary of the final battle, this hallway had been dedicated to the many people who died before and during the battle. Every portrait was around the same size, although some were joined so that family members could be together. The whole point was to suggesting that no one fighter was of greater importance then the other and that without their sacrifices we wouldn't be where we are. Every portrait smiled and waved as I walked by, tears silently sliding down my cheeks.

About mid way down the hall I spotted a flash of red, there on the wall was the ever-smiling face of my best friend. I walked up to it, trying to smile back as he was smiling at me.

"Ah, Fred…" I sighed placing my hand against the canvas. "What'd I'd give to talk to you." I laughed a bit to myself as the painting of Fred placed his two dimensional hand against where mine rested, still smiling that goofy smile. "Not because you'd be able to help me out, but because you'd defiantly make me laugh."

"And he'd defiantly have some prank planned for Cho." Neville's voice floated from a bit down the hall, causing me to jump.

"NEVILLE, don't do that!" I stepped back, wiping my eyes and cheeks in an attempt to compose myself. Neville came to stand next glancing to the left of Fred's portrait to the large conjoined picture of Lupin and Tonks, who were holding hands, Tonks waving energetically.

"Some how, I knew you'd find your way here eventually." Neville didn't look at me, just stared at the painted couple. "We all end up here. When something's on our minds." I knew what Neville was talking about. These had been our friends, family, and comrades. McGonagall had mentioned once that the place held a sort of draw for people who had been there. "Do you want to talk about Harry and Cho?" Neville finally turned away from the wall and looked down at me. "I may not make jokes like Fred would, but maybe I could help." He smiled lopsidedly at me.

"Yeah, yeah. That would be great." I tried to smile back. "But, lets go somewhere else. Please? I can't stay here" Neville nodded and with one sad glance back at the grinning people that loved, we walked back down the stairs.

"So," Neville plopped down in the soft grass by the lakes shallows where the squid had come to sun bath, "Tell me about Harry and Cho." I took a deep breath as Neville kicked off his shoes, rolled up his jeans, and stuck his feet in the cool water.

"You asked for it." I started as a warning. "Well, I'm gutless. Faine and I made a bet. I lost, obviously. I finally got some guts and Harry was going out on a date with Cho. Since then they are pretty much attached to each other. As are the other two couples. And I'm having to come to terms with the fact that I can't have Harry." I sucked in a breath to make up for all those that I had lost during my rant. Before plucking at the grass angrily.

"Was that the short version?" Neville laughed.

"As short as I can get it." I laughed a bit back. "Not to mention, I can't make myself completely hate her. I mean, I hate her 'cause she's with Harry and I'm not. But she's really not a huge bitch or anything." Neville looked a bit shocked. "Now, don't get me wrong. I can find a ton of things I don't like about her. She's prissy and whiny, pretty much a cookie cutter version of everyone she works with at the ministry-"

"But she's nice." Neville added.

"Yeah." I pouted down at the grass.

"Talk to Harry," Neville sounded serious. "Charlie. That's the only way you're ever going to get anywhere with the situation."

"Oh yeah, I can just hear me now: 'Hi Harry. I want to be your girlfriend, get rid of Cho and date me cause I hate seeing you two snogging all the time.'" I scoffed and Neville shook his head.

"Not like that, tell him that you wish he'd control their displays of affection. It'd be better if you could just tell him how you feel and how it hurts to see him with her all the time. But that may be hard." I leaned into Neville's side.

"I know your right. It's the only way things are going to change. I have to stop letting this situation take me prisoner." We sat there in silence for quite sometime watching the squid in the water and the students wandering around the lake. "Thanks Neville."

A group of students walked past us giggling and staring. It took me a few seconds but I was able to figure out what was so funny. "uh oh, Professor Longbottom's gonna have to answer a lot of questions about who his new girlfriend is!" I laughed and Neville blushed. "It's gonna be a long week."


End file.
